We are a papercraft challenge blog offering a monthly Main Challenge based on a Word and a Creative Challenge,

open to layouts, canvases and art journal pages. PLUS we host a word-based Mini Challenge

on the last week of each month for cards, tags and ATCs. There is definitely something for everyone!

01 January, 2017

January 2017 Main Challenge CELEBRATE & BLING

Happy 2017 everyone!

May the new year give you loads of reasons to celebrate

and have wonderful days that are filled with laughter, love and creativity!

We have a whole new set of challenges ready for you this year

and we cannot wait to share them with you starting with this one for January:

Our Main Challenge is based on a word inspiration and a creative challenge.

The challenge is open to layouts, canvases and art journal pages only.

Make sure to read our instructions below carefully!

Word Inspiration - CELEBRATE

Creative Challenge - BLING

What does the word CELEBRATE inspire you to create?
You can choose to add the word somewhere on your project or simply
be inspired to create from it. Please explain in your blog post
how the word inspired you, if not already obvious.

More Than Words is not only celebrating this month the start of a brand new year.
We are also celebrating our first anniversary in the blogosphere!
We have lots of reasons to party, and nothing screams 'Let's Party!' better
than BLING! Whether it be sequins, gems, rhinestones, pearls, chunks of glitter glass... we want you to 'bling' it up on your project!

VERY IMPORTANT!You have to incorporate both requirements of the challenge, the word inspiration AND the creative challenge, on your project to be eligible to win. Just look at our designers' creations and descriptions as example. Also, remember that you must include our board image and a link to our blog in your entry post.Please check out our challenge rules in the RULES tab above!

Aga: "I chose this picture for my layout since it was taken last year when my husband and I were travelling to the mountains to CELEBRATE New Year's Eve. The same day my husband gave me my dream sunglasses so double happiness! For the BLING creative challenge, I added shiny stars and lots of sparkly gold paint."

Anguree: "I was inspired by these photos of my cousin in law and her bridesmaids CELEBRATING her wedding day. I incorporated BLING by die cutting the word 'celebrate' 3 times out of gold foil paper and used the same paper to mat my photos. Gold flowers and sequins were added to mimic the festivities and capture the magic of this wonderful day."

Caroline: "Valerie and I live a 4 hours drive from each other so whenever we meet, it's always a big CELEBRATION! Here's a picture we took on our last scrapbook retreat. For the BLING creative twist, I added a lot of sparkling gold

Di: "I decided to use the word CELEBRATE in a slightly different way to the obvious and put a bi of a twist on it by using these pictures of my grandson and his new hat! For the creative challenge, I have added some black BLING."

Elena M.: "I didn't use the word CELEBRATE as the title, but I used the idea and sense of the word as inspiration. On my layout, I chose of me at 2 or 3 years of age. I am standing near the Christmas tree with the gift that Grandpa Frost (as we call Santa Claus in Russia) gave me. It was a very fun New Year's celebration. The BLING on my page consist of many gold stars. I also covered the chipboard pieces

Elena T.: "My project is about the CELEBRATION of Christmas. It's a relatively old photo of my children at a Christmas party. I enjoy these sweet little moments in our life! For the BLING effect, I added some gold glitter and crystals. It was fun!"

Heather: "One of the biggest CELEBRATIONS I've had in my life was a week-long party on a small Greek island last year. I used heaps of colour to represent the fun we had and added BLING in the form of sparkly alphas, stars and rhinestones. Woohoo!"

Jennifer: "This page represents the CELEBRATION of brotherly love. The photo depicts well the love that these brothers carry for each other. The BLING on my layout is on my paper as well as half beads here and there."

Kareen: "I have chosen a picture of my son when he was 3 years old. It was the New Year and we CELEBRATED with the family. I still remember this picture as if it was yesterday! For the BLING part of the challenge, I added sparkles and some sequins."

Kavitha: "Amidst our busy day to day life and chasing our dreams, we often forget to pause and enjoy the little things around us which gives us the real happiness. So I made a page to remind myself to 'CELEBRATE the little things'! For the BLING part,

Lilibleu: "To showcase the CELEBRATE theme, I chose to use a picture of my son taken on his 8th birthday just before he blew his candles. For the BLING aspect of the challenge, I added sequins on chipboard stars and foliage as well as silver microspheres on the flowers. I finally added some rhinestones stickers."

Nicole: "These pictures date back a few years, but were taken at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve. We had, and still have, a lot to CELEBRATE, especially our happy life together. The BLING creative challenge was so much fun! As you can see, I have gone a little overboard with the rhinestones and the jewels.

But the instructions did say to 'Bling it On!' and that's what I did!"

Pamela: "Commemorating one's birth in my eyes is always cause for a great CELEBRATION, especially when it is your oldest grandchild. She seemed especially happy in this photo and we had such a great day! This is BLING all over the page from a fine glimmer mist to Prima druzy stones. I even heat embossed my alphas with glitter embossing powder. It may be hard to see, but this page 'blings it on'!"

Sanderijn: "When I think of this month's word, I can use a lot of different actual celebrations, but something that really makes my heart full of joy is the smile of my daughter. So I wanted to CELEBRATE her beautiful smile! I added lots of glitter and holographic sparkles and I also used glitter on my background, mixed with modeling paste. I covered the doily die cuts with glitter and BLING. I use them all the time

Valerie: "The word CELEBRATE made me think right away about the few moments we celebrate at home. My children's birthdays are some of these moments that are really important to us. We never forget the cake, of course! I added a bunch

of sparkling glitter and sequins to BLING up my project."

WOW! We couldn't be prouder of our new DT's first reveal for 2017!

We hope that all these gorgeous creations will inspire you to join in the celebration

"The Dusty Attic is an Australian owned and operated laser cutting business, which designs and manufactures craft items and embellishments. Founded in July 2009 and located in Perth, Western Australia, we are proud to be able to make our mark on the scrapbooking and craft industry with our great range of products. We love seeing what beautiful creations our customers have made with our products."

Next, 4 runners up, in no particular order, will each be awarded a prize, as follows:

Each month, we hand pick an entry who has not made it into our Top 5, but who has captured our attention someway, somehow. We might pick a project due to its original use of a certain product, the cleverest title, the most beautiful photo, etc.

Beautiful work from you all, such a gorgeous theme for the dull January days. Your work really inspired me and I managed to make a piece and join you this month but pressed the button on my entry before I could change my link to just have my country in it. EEk I'm so sorry, I cannot find a way of deleting it and re adding it so I have tried to contact Chantalle? I hope someone could kindly help sort this for me. Thanks so much xx